Are qualifications actually useful in Australia?

[srg73]

I think myself fairly well qualified, A Levels, HND, BSc (Hons) Degree and Chartered however how useful will these actually be other than for gaining the visa. The reason I ask is that being a Chartered Professional in UK is well respected and stands you out from the crowd with a lot of employers now asking for Chartered status as a benchmark. Does the same apply in Australia? The reason I ask is that I have contacted an Australian institute and they almost fell over themselves to sign me up and agreed that after a simply interview I would be twice chartered once with them and 2nd with my existing institute which also operates in Australia although on a small scale.

 

It sounds very stupid but in some professions in the UK there is a snobbery regarding the length of your blurb after your name on your business card (a little like American Psycho) with the golden rule that your doing ok if your blurb is longer than your name!

 

Simply want to know if qualifications are that highly regarded or experience and networking override qualifications?

 

Thanks

 

S

[Paul1Perth]

I'm sure quals are just as relevant here but not so sure the run of the mill aussie appreciates the blurb all over your business card. Would be more likely they would take the piss if you have too long a write up after your name. A lot would give you a bit of stick for even having a business card. Same with my e-mail footer. I've seen a few where someone has gone to town and written just about everything they've qualified as in their footer. When we get a posting from someone with that kind of writeup at work they get branded a complete tosser, even before you've met them. Funnily enough the initial observation is usually on the mark.

 

We have to have them at work but I stick to my job title and don't bother with BSc or anything.

 

One thing that really improved my job opportunities was I got my degree ratified at UWA and got a better looking certificate from UWA than my degree one from Birmingham. I had taken all my certificates and qauls. to interviews before but nothing impressed as much as the one from UWA.

[srg73]

How would do this for myself Paul1Perth, maybe not WA but maybe SA?

 

Thanks. Simon

[Paul1Perth]

How would do this for myself Paul1Perth, maybe not WA but maybe SA?

 

Thanks. Simon

 

I guess you could try writing to one of the Uni's there and send a photo copy of your degree. Best to be in person though and go in and have a chat with some staff.

 

I was lucky. Our landlord here when we first came was head of econometrics at UWA and heard us discussing how hard it was to get a job. It was pretty dire here in 92. He took my degree certificate to work with him and came back with the UWA one. Helped no-end.

[Surf N Turf]

I've worked as a professional in both Australia and the UK and didn't see any difference in how my qualifications were viewed. How much weight is given to them will depend on the sector you work in. I'm in health and so they are essential as is continued professional registration. For you I would imagine that it's the same. There may not be the same snobbery around the amount of initials under your name but that doesn't mean they're not important. Like Paul, I don't bother quoting quals on my business cards but I wouldn't get any work if I didn't have them. What does differ between countries is that many who've moved here struggle to get equivalent work as their experience isn't local. Not much you can do about that until you get here and get working. Good luck with the move.

[abz123]

Worked for a couple of US multinationals where the "big boys" had worked their way up from the shop floor with no formal qualifications. As a result, no-one put any "letters" on their business cards so as not to look like a knob and show up the senior executives when swapping cards.

 

I think it's a good thing as you are known by your name and role within the company rather than there being a p1ssing competition around the office.

 

Academic ability and common sense are often inversely related in my experience.

[Keith and Linda]

I can understand your frustration Simon, it took me quite a while to accept that your UK qualifications other than getting you over here, really seem to mean jack s^%t once here, and if you mentioned them I it was a 'oh hum, does that make you better than us attitude'.

I now rest in the satisfaction and knowledge that I have been educated to a better standard and no one can take that from me, I just let my actions speak for me

 

As an aside, I along with several colleagues have just taken a diploma course through company training, 1 day per month for 7 months, and I have a diploma! (I didn't go to the ceremony and wear the mortar board and cloak). I did not tell them that I already had one, which took two years of full time education and that I can put letters after my name.

 

A local uni degree may be helpful, but you can always inform new employers you have the equivalent of....... and I think they would accept your word.

 

 

Good luck and hang loose!

 

Keith.

[Que Sera Sera]

Worked for a couple of US multinationals where the "big boys" had worked their way up from the shop floor with no formal qualifications. As a result, no-one put any "letters" on their business cards so as not to look like a knob and show up the senior executives when swapping cards.

 

I think it's a good thing as you are known by your name and role within the company rather than there being a p1ssing competition around the office.

 

Academic ability and common sense are often inversely related in my experience.

 

I have to agree with this. Surely its irrelevant what qualifications you hold if they don't actually make you do your job better and aren't a requirement to get it in the first place.

[Keith and Linda]

I have to agree with this. Surely its irrelevant what qualifications you hold if they don't actually make you do your job better and aren't a requirement to get it in the first place.

 

I am afraid that the Health & Safety mob get in on this one, especially in construction, employers have to show they have trained and competent employees.

[gtaylor30]

I never use mine in any context anyway, although I'm not in Aus yet.

 

Regards

 

G Taylor, BSc(Hons), MBCS, CITP, MCP, MCSA.

[abz123]

I am afraid that the Health & Safety mob get in on this one, especially in construction, employers have to show they have trained and competent employees.

 

There's a difference between holding certifications required to demonstrate competency and trying to impress or belittle people by shoving them in their face like the example above which G Taylor obviously does not intend to put on a business card.

 

I also have a number of qualifications and membership of professional institutes but similarly I would never put them after my name either.

 

Mr. is the only letters regularly associated with my name in public

[srg73]

Mmmm provoked a response!

 

I do use my qualifications on my business cards and hopefully will continue to do so as it communicates that I am up to a high standard in my profession, I have to act and perform professionally and if not then I can loose my professional standing and can be struck off, a little like being a registered Doctor but for the building industry. I would not use petty qualifications or mention training courses etc however being Chartered does seem to be important to some employers who specifically ask for Chartered status, even in Australia.

 

Interestingly my brother and his girlfriend both PhD so earn Dr rather than Mr and Miss were not able to use Dr whilst in Australia despite at least one of them being gained at Oxford!!

 

S

[abz123]

What was the reason for the PhD snub out of curiousity?

[Jessica Berry]

Simply want to know if qualifications are that highly regarded or experience and networking override qualifications?

 

As others have said qualifications are important if they are required/relevant to the position you are applying for. I hold 3 Australian qualifications and depending on the job I am applying for I either put 2 or 3 of them on my resume. I do not include any of my UK qualifications as they are irrelevant to the jobs I am applying for (because I live in Australia and not the UK!) and distract/confuse the recruiter from the information on my resume that I want them to read.

 

If someone feels that their status in an organisation, their job title, the letters after their name, their salary and name dropping is important to them, then Australia may not be the best fit.

[Freckleface]

Qualifications can open doors but only your achievements will keep them open.

[Que Sera Sera]

Qualifications can open doors but only your achievements will keep them open.

:notworthy: Perfectly put!

[Paul1Perth]

I am afraid that the Health & Safety mob get in on this one, especially in construction, employers have to show they have trained and competent employees.

 

I would think Health and Safety in construction should be asking for every relevant qualification you had to make sure you can do the job. Too many people get killed and injured if the Health and Safety isn't up to scratch.

[akiralx]

Worked for a couple of US multinationals where the "big boys" had worked their way up from the shop floor with no formal qualifications. As a result, no-one put any "letters" on their business cards so as not to look like a knob and show up the senior executives when swapping cards.

 

 

I recall reading a recent article about Australia's suspicion of academic qualifications, and one commenter said he had two sets of business cards: one without 'letters'/qualifications for Australia, and one with them for the rest of the world.

[Guest]

Letters that are related to the profession and job you do make sense such as CPA. Putting under grad degree letters is just laughable

[Keith and Linda]

I would think Health and Safety in construction should be asking for every relevant qualification you had to make sure you can do the job. Too many people get killed and injured if the Health and Safety isn't up to scratch.

 

That's true and I agree, but my post which keeps getting quoted, was in response to Que Sera Sera's post which basically said you do not need qualifications if you can do your job. Where Company's now are so scared of Health and safety they ( the good ones that is), make sure that the lowest unskilled labour are trained, where, obviously the higher management roles require, in most cases these days, the technical/professional qualifications most suited for their role within the organization rather than having to satisfy health and safety alone.

[Jessica Berry]

I would not use petty qualifications or mention training courses etc

 

I am not sure what you would class as 'petty' qualifications, but this statement perhaps shows your lack of understanding of the way things work in Australia. For example if you want to work as a Trainer and Assessor in the VET (Vocational Education and Training) sector the industry standard is a Cert IV in Training and Assessment. It wouldn't matter how many degrees and PHDs you had, this qualification is specific to the industry and provides the knowledge and understanding of this sector.

 

I was talking to a colleague recently, who was telling me his relative had been looking for work for the past 9 months and had not managed to secure an interview in his field of expertise. He said to me "he has got 3 degrees", as soon as he told me the area of work I knew the exact reason he wasn't getting any interviews. He rang a couple of companies up to ask why he hadn't got an interview and their response was 'you don't have a Cert IV in XXXX'.

 

As for not mentioning training courses......in your line of work there is a one day training course that if you don't mention, this may hinder your chances of gaining work..

 

http://www.safework.sa.gov.au/show_page.jsp?id=111013#.UwgkLGdWGUk

[starlight7]

The funny thing is - Cert 1V is really easy to get on RPL so you might as well get it. They hand them out like lollies.

[srg73]

Jessica, 2 negative posts towards me when I'm simply asking for advice! You obviously do not understand the requirements in being Chartered, I have to undertake a minimum 24 hours of relivent training per year and be able to demonstrate this otherwise I loose my standing. My point was that I would not mention reams and reams of training courses etc unless absolutely relivent and I would concentrate on the qualifications with greatest standing.

 

Construction is the dirty industry so far as H&S is concerned and despite having qualifications, I'm not keen on specialising in this field unless absolutely required as I do see cases where H&S has gone mad which can wind me up. Hear of site in UK closed because a chair in mess room did not have a back on it!! I guess stools are now banned!

 

So in conclusion, Post Grad qualifications are good and open doors on say management and senior roles however more practical qualification must also not be ignored and should be mentioned although not depended upon. I am also in the process of registering with Australian professional institutes so employers see some Australian qualifications in addition to UK based.

 

Everybodies advice is taken on board and yes I have a huge amount of common sence in addition to practical experience in what I manage (fully restored 2 houses in the past) so hopefully don't come across as a qualified English twit!

 

Thank you people of PIO, by the way, does Vettassess not count as an assessment of relevant skills as I would looking to work in the same field as my qualifications?

 

S